Call2Recycle reaches new record in 2014

Call2Recycle Inc., a consumer battery stewardship organization based in Atlanta, reports that it has increased its total weight of material collected in 2014 for an 18th consecutive year.
  
Nearly 12 million pounds of batteries and cellphones were collected through Call2Recycle’s network in the United States and Canada in 2014. Last year’s amount contributed to the 100 million pound milestone achieved by Call2Recycle since its collection efforts first began in 1996. 

According to Call2Recycle, its growth record confirms that residents on both sides of the border not only understand the importance of battery recycling but also are taking action. In fact, Canadians recycled more batteries in the first 10 months of 2014 than in all of 2013, the organization says. Specifically, the provinces of British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec recorded double-digit collection growth over 2013. Meanwhile, the state of California, which collected more than 1 million pounds of batteries in 2014, led U.S. collections.

Among businesses, the manufacturing industry led in terms of collection, as Call2Recycle’s industry stewards participation (those who fund the program but also participate as collectors) were key drivers of growth in this segment, the organization says.

Call2Recycle says it ensures that batteries and cellphones, which can contain valuable resources, are responsibly recycled to create new batteries and other products,thereby keeping potentially hazardous materials from entering the waste stream.

“Since we measure our success by weight, this latest year of growth is even more impressive given that consumer batteries are getting smaller, lighter and lasting longer than in previous years,” says Carl Smith, CEO and president of Call2Recycle Inc. “Thanks to the continued dedication of our industry stewards and collection partners these overall gains give us the momentum we need to make an even greater positive impact on the environment in 2015.”

Call2Recycle says educating consumers on the ease and importance of recycling batteries will continue to be a central theme this year. Approximately 90 percent of U.S. and Canadian residents live within 10 miles of one of Call2Recycle’s 34,000 drop-off locations.

The organization says that even as more batteries remain in products, such as laptops, for their full life cycle it has the framework in place to adapt to changes in the tech marketplace and ensure that batteries of all shapes and life spans are properly recovered and processed.   

Moreover, states are beginning to implement legislation mandating battery recycling (beginning with Vermont Jan. 1, 2016) as a means to combat the rise of e-waste transported to landfills in North America and overseas. Call2Recycle says it is poised to partner with states and lead the consumer education effort to make battery recycling as seamless and integrated as paper, plastic and aluminum have become.